Central India in grip of worst-ever drought

The last five years have been tough on 55-year old Saraswati Devi. Her two sons have left their village to work as construction workers in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh (mp). The family's one hectare patch in Ragauli Bhatpura gram panchayat in Uttar Pradesh's (up) Banda district has been mortgaged. The money barely helps Saraswati tide over a drought that's ravaging Banda

UP voters ask candidates for assembly election to take test

The recently completed assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh witnessed an unprecedented public practise. In the drought-stricken Bundelkhand region, voters asked the candidates to take a written test on the problems of the region. Called 'Face-to-face with the reality in Bundelkhand' and "Experience proforma", the test had 25 questions. Over 20 candidates took the test. "People wanted an end to the rhetorical